what a difference a year made…
a year ago, i couldn’t stand sidney crosby. i thought he was the most overrated player in the national hockey league. that’s not to say that i didn’t respect his talent, he is indeed quite talented. it was his attitude. he came across very much as a kid playing a man’s game, so i supposed the nickname “Sid the kid” suited him. last season he would whine and bitch at the officials everytime he was hooked or slashed or interferred with, looking for a penalty. and he’d get one… against himself. i remember watching one game on oln (now versus) last season and seeing him whine to the officials, it was very much like a kid who whines at his parents when he doesn’t get his way. i sat there, watching this supposed adult make an ass of himself and put his team on the penalty kill and thought “this is why you play in the minors or college hockey for a couple of seasons before going into the nhl.” you see, nhl hockey is indeed a man’s game.* sidney crosby was a little boy. i thought he should have done some time in the ahl or at a college somewhere before playing in the nhl — he hadn’t grown up enough yet to be an nhl player. he wasn’t a man yet.
crosby’s numbers for last year were indeed impressive, and perhaps he could have won the calder if he hadn’t spent so much time in the penalty box. in the 05-06 season, the kid had 102 points (39 of those coming from goals) , a -1 rating overall and 278 shots on net. he also had 110 penalty minutes. that means he spent the equivalent of almost 2 full hockey games in the penalty box. ian laperriere only spent 116 minutes in the box last season… and he’s someone you EXPECT to take a few penalties.
this year is another story. crosby seems to have mellowed, and accepted the fact that just because he’s the new “next coming of ______”** doesn’t mean that he’s going to get special priveledges. it’s a shame he didn’t realize it last season. so far this season (66 games played) he’s got 103 points (29 goals), an overall rating of 7 and 210 shots. he’s also only spent 54 minutes in the penalty box. much better kid… MUCH better.
besides, it was a shame to taint such talent with such a bad attitude.
* that’s not to say that a woman can’t play nhl hockey, you just need balls to do it… there are plenty of women out there with the testicular fortitude
** wayne gretzky, mario lemieux, whatever hockey great you think crosby is supposed to be the next coming of
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